


Christmas Eve at Dead Bird Studio

by DeckofDragons



Series: 12 Days of Christmas 2019 [11]
Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: 12 Days of Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Relationship, inviting a friend over for the holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 18:27:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21933025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeckofDragons/pseuds/DeckofDragons
Summary: The Conductor returns to the studio on Christmas Eve night and is surprised to find Grooves there alone.
Relationships: The Conductor/DJ Grooves (A Hat in Time)
Series: 12 Days of Christmas 2019 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1570246
Comments: 8
Kudos: 99





	Christmas Eve at Dead Bird Studio

With the grandkids getting a bit older, the only place to hide their Christmas presents without risk of them getting their grubby little hands on them was the studio. Which is what brought the Conductor here so late on Christmas Eve. It wasn’t a problem though, it had been too long since he’d last seen his train. Three whole days because the nanny he paid to watch the kids for him had wanted off to visit family in another city for the holidays and well… as much as he didn’t want to watch the kids on his own, he did kind of owe her a lot so he’d let her go.

Unfortunately, that meant he couldn’t dawdle around for long to spend time with his train because the grandkids were still too young to be left alone for any significant length of time even if they were sleeping. So he’d get in, check on his train real quick, grab the presents from his office and get out to head back home.

But when he got to the front door it was unlocked. Grooves was the only other person who had a key to the place and there was no way he was here tonight of all nights. Unless he’d left it unlocked when he’d left yesterday, if so the Conductor was going chew him out next time he saw him. The _last_ thing they needed as for someone to break in and steal their stuff, they were struggling enough to pay the bills as it was. But there was no way even DJ Grooves was _that_ dumb. Meaning someone had probably picked the lock or stolen Grooves’ key – he _was_ dumb enough to let that happen, he’d lost it more than once in the past and had to either wait for or call the Conductor to get in until he found it.

The Conductor reached for where he _normally_ carried a knife under his suit but… it wasn’t there; he made a point not to carry it when forced to spend a significant length so time at home. So he’d just have to do without as he stepped inside, making sure the door closed silently behind him.

Down the hall, the receptionist area was untouched. But there wasn’t anything of significant value here so a thief wouldn’t be interested. So, it was still possible that a thief had…

Wait, was that piano music? It seemed to be coming from Grooves’ side of the building. Creeping over and opening the door ajar, confirmed that. There was singing too, still too muffled and distant to be made out though the tune was familiar. It was Jingle Bells.

The Conductor hadn’t been to Grooves side of the studio often but he had been to it enough that he knew where the music room was. As he made his way over there – still sneaking in case this was still a thief – the tune became clearer and he could soon make out the words. Was that… Grooves singing? It certainly sounded like him, though his music tended to mostly be that dubstep and techno nonsense that didn’t have many lyrics so it was hard to know for sure. And… _why_ would Grooves be here on Christmas Eve, of the two, the Conductor was _much_ more likely to be alone tonight.

So, despite all the evidence, when upon reaching the music room and peeking in, the sight of DJ Grooves sitting playing the piano was still a surprise. He wasn’t wearing his usual gaudy annoying outfit but a plain sweater and pants instead, even his flashy sunglasses were missing. His hair was neatly groomed and styled as always though.

With a frown, the Conductor stepped fully inside. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. The piano was in middle of the room, facing the door so Grooves should’ve noticed him come in. Apparently not though as he started a new song instead; 12 Days of Christmas. His singing voice was… good, the Conductor had to admit that much at least, shame he never used it properly though. _Maybe_ if he was willing to forgo his techno shit he could actually make a good song to put into one of his movies for once. But _that_ was probably never going to happen.

After 12 Days of Christmas was another Christmas song, one the Conductor didn’t know the name of but had heard several times before. After that was another and… _what_ was he doing, sitting here listening to Grooves sing Christmas tunes, getting lost in the music like some brain-dead idiot? He had _things_ to be doing, grandkids to be returning to, to make sure they didn’t burn the house down or hurt themselves in some other stupid way.

“Grooves!” the Conductor snapped as he pushed himself off the wall.

DJ Grooves physically jumped, his song ending with an ugly discordant burst of notes. “Conductor,” he said, an edge of embarrassment to his voice as he scrambled to stand up. “What are doing here? And… why are you dressed as Santa?”

The Conductor looked down at himself. He’d forgotten he’d put the outfit on before leaving the house, thinking that if the kids woke before he came back and saw him returning, they’d think he was just Santa delivering gifts. “It’s for me grandkids,” he said, looking back up at Grooves. Why he bothered, he didn’t know, it’s not like it mattered. “And I’m here because I left their presents in me office so they wouldn’t get into them. But why are _you_ here? Don’t you have somewhere better to be than playing Christmas tunes in the dark?”

“Well uh… not really.” Grooves shrugged. He lacked his usual peppy energy, not even responding to the Conductor’s annoyed tone. “Unlike you, I don’t have _any_ family left, never _really_ had one other than my parents. So I tend to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas alone these days.”

“Oh.” Now the Conductor felt bad. Even though his grandkids were the only members of his family he still had they meant he had somewhere to _be_ tonight and tomorrow even if part of him felt like he’d rather spend it with a bottle instead.

“Don’t worry about it darling,” Grooves said, making a dismissive gesture towards him. “I’m used to it by now, I’ll live.” His tone was cheerful but… even the Conductor could tell that it was forced.

What should he do though? No one, not even Grooves deserved to be alone on Christmas. But it’s not like the Conductor had any way to fix that. … Unless he did.

“Spend Christmas with me,” he blurted out before he could think of a _better_ way to phrase the invitation.

Grooves’ eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something but the Conductor cut him off, _desperate_ to save face.

“I meant, me grandkids like you.” He’d been forced to bring them to the studio a few times when their nanny got sick or went on vacation. Naturally, Grooves had ended up meeting them and had even helped out with them during a few of their escape shenanigans. “And you seem to be good with them so you can come over to my place for Christmas and watch them so I don’t have to. That way I can drink instead.”

Grooves’ expression had softened as the Conductor spoke but hardened at the last bit. “I… would like accept your humble invitation, ‘tis the season for such things after all but… I _can’t_ if you’re going to drink.”

The Conductor frowned and sighed, there went that idea. But … It was for the best anyway. “Fine, no alcohol, don’t got any at me house anyway.” Even if he wasn’t a good grandfather, he at least wasn’t bad enough to keep liquor in a place where children could easily find and get into it. “And the kids are a handful when they get excited, no way you’d be able handle them on your own anyway.”

“Good,” Grooves said, his expression shifting back to mildly pleased. “I will gladly spend the holiday with you and your family then.”

The Conductor almost contradicted him by saying he was only inviting him over to help with child care, that _he_ didn’t want anything to do with him while he was there, but gave up on it before even opening his mouth. It wasn’t the truth at all even if in hindsight it was a very good reason to invite him over. Also, Christmas Eve wasn’t a time for fighting especially since he’d just extended an olive branch. He hadn’t been planning to – and probably wouldn’t have if he’d given the matter any thought – but now that he had he might as well _try_ to keep the peace.

“You’ll have to sleep in the nanny’s room,” he said instead as they exited the music room together. “It’s the only spare room in the house. So, don’t touch anything.” He gave Grooves a pointed glare.

“Of course darling, I would never mess with stuff that isn’t mine.”

“Good. Now you go wait outside by me car, you should know what it looks like by now. I gotta go grab the presents and check on me train.”

“Fair enough, don’t take too long though, it’s awfully late.”

The Conductor grunted at him before splitting off towards his side of studio. He was quicker than he would’ve liked because it _was_ late and he needed to get home. But seeing his train in good shape even for a brief moment made him feel better.

Upon returning to Grooves a short time later, neither of the spoke while getting in the car. It was the first time in a few years that they rode together in the same car, probably the first time ever that they _chose_ to do it.

Grooves eventually did break the silence though. “Thanks for doing this,” he said in a quiet voice that was unlike him. “I appreciate it even if I never would’ve expected you to do something like this.”

“Eh, it’s Christmas Eve or uh…” A quick glance at the clock revealed that midnight had come and gone a few minutes ago. “Actually, Christmas now. I ain’t a complete Scrooge so I ain’t gonna let even you be all lonely and pitiful on today of all days.” It was the season for getting along and being merry. Would the newfound peace between them last after this though? … Who could say? If it did the Conductor maybe wouldn’t be too upset with that, their heated rivalry could be exhausting sometimes. And if they were on better terms, he could maybe get Grooves to use his singing voice for something _good_ for a change.


End file.
